What Does a Substance Abuse Counselor Do?

The need for qualified substance abuse counselors is reflected in the statistics showing that millions of Americans suffer from substance abuse and dependencies.

For example, almost 28 million adults in the United States had an alcohol use disorder in the past year, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder is defined as a “chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.”

What’s more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were 47,938 alcohol-induced deaths in the United States in 2023 alone. In addition, the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023.

In light of this, the demand is rising for professionals with a substance abuse counselor degree and the expertise to meet the challenges of addiction and substance abuse. Demand for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 17% through 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

An Overview of Substance Abuse Counseling

Substance abuse counseling assists clients in achieving and maintaining abstinence from chemicals considered addictive and behaviors that drive their use. Its secondary goal is to help clients recover from damage done to their lives. Addiction counseling seeks to achieve its goals by helping clients address the symptoms of their addictions.

The process generally begins by helping the person acknowledge the presence of a problem and the irrational thinking that promotes addiction. The person is expected to take responsibility for their actions and participate in a recovery program with the guidance of a counselor or therapist.

Organizations and government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels have mobilized to address the causes and effects of substance abuse.

Role of Substance Abuse Counselors

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors consult and advise people who suffer from alcoholism and drug addiction. They also counsel those with other behavioral problems, such as gambling or eating disorders.

Counselors interview clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, and provide treatment and support to help clients or patients recover from addiction, overcome dependencies, and modify problem behaviors.

Typical job duties, according to the BLS, include:

• Evaluating clients’ mental and physical health, addiction, or problem behavior
• Assessing readiness for treatment and developing treatment goals and plans
• Helping clients develop skills and behaviors needed to overcome dependencies
• Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting clients and patients

Earning a substance abuse counselor degree and launching a career in the field can offer opportunities in a variety of settings, including hospitals, prisons, government agencies, mental health and substance abuse centers, detention centers, and schools. 

Job titles within this field may include addiction counselor, case manager, chemical dependency counselor, correctional substance abuse counselor, and drug and alcohol treatment specialist.

Essential Skills for Substance Abuse Counselors

Working as a substance abuse counselor requires a blend of technical knowledge, interpersonal, analytical, and ethical skills. This combination allows professionals to support clients through deeply personal and often painful challenges.

One of the most critical abilities is active listening, which allows counselors to build trust, understand client experiences, and provide guidance without judgment. Coupled with strong communication skills, this enables counselors to explain treatment options clearly and foster collaborative goal setting.

Equally important are empathy and compassion, as clients often come into treatment feeling vulnerable or stigmatized. Counselors must also exercise patience and resilience, recognizing that progress can be slow and setbacks are common. Beyond interpersonal traits, effective professionals rely on problem-solving skills to create individualized treatment plans and adapt strategies as circumstances change.

Touro University Worldwide’s MA in Addiction Counseling

The Master of Arts in Counseling with a specialization in addiction counseling at Touro University Worldwide prepares graduates to build meaningful careers helping individuals overcome substance use challenges and related mental health concerns.

The degree also provides the foundation for students to pursue licensures as substance abuse counselors in California and potentially other states. Because licensing requirements vary, students are encouraged to review the regulations in the state where they plan to practice.

Students can complete the online program in as little as two years. Coursework addresses the core areas required in California for aspiring counselors, including case management, law and ethics, the physiology and pharmacology of alcohol and other drugs, and counseling strategies grounded in best practices.

Courses are taught by experienced scholar-practitioners who bring both academic expertise and years of hands-on experience in the field. Students learn not only the theories behind addiction counseling but also how to apply those approaches in real-world settings.